2nd Round: Alameda Ta'Amu, NT, Washington, 6-3 341
Strong Samoan, with good feet that can press the pocket, disrupt running lanes & even bull rush his man into the QB. What more is there to say about Taamu? He went from being a trendy pick for the first round prior to the season, and gradually fell down the draft board during the season, due to a very lackluster performance as a senior & broken hand. Taamu, when healthy and motivated, is the prototypical NT- a mountain of a man, nearly impossible to push back off the line, but with the quick feet and athleticism necessary to get past the Oline and make plays in the backfield. Ideally, Taamu does not start right away, and works in a rotation with Cody and Mitchell, depending on the down and distance. Ta'amu the big Tonga The man from Tonga, also gives Wade another possible mismatch physical presence in goal-line, 4th & short as well individual match-ups that favor Texans.

3rd. Round: Ryan Lindley, QB, San Diego State, 6-4 230
Big question a lot of you are asking, "QB is not that high of need, there are other more important positions of need which should be addressed first." Depending on your viewpoint of TJ, Lindley has the potential to become an NFL starting caliber QB. & Matt Schaub will be a free agent in 2013. We have all learned the importance of having good QBs throughout the depth chart. What the Texans were able to achieve this season would not have been possible without investing the pick last year in TJ Yates. And with Yates proving his ability, he should be given the #2 spot, and Leinart should be let go. Enter Lindley, a QB with pro size and a pro arm, as well as a long term starter. Now, his footwork needs work (which causes his accuracy to suffer), as does his ability to read the D. He should sit a couple years, but with Schaub and Yates already in the fold, the Texans can afford to groom a QB. Great value if still on the board.

4th Round: Levy Adcock, OT, Oklahoma State, 6-5 322
Addressing OL is also a concern or ours, despite feeling Texan FA players, Myers & Brisel will be resigned. Adcock won't wow you with athletic talent but fits ZBS , work ethic/lunch pale demeanor of underrated, tough hardworking OL unit that could use cheap talent pool of depth to make playoff push. Adcock could actually help save cap space for other linemen to be resigned as Butler could then be released. All Big 12 Football First Team honors. He started as a Guard during his sophomore season, has the size/strength to kick inside, Wade Smith is still starter material but is on back-end of career & FA in 2014. What really intrigues us & why we think he is such a good OL prospect for Texans is attitude, will punch on initial contact and extend after the whistle to show he means business.

5th Round: Tauren Poole, RB, Tennessee, 5-10 206
Arian Foster is RFA. Will Texans be able to match a big RFA offer from another team with more cap room? Probably not, if retaining Mario. Poole, backed up Arian Foster & Montario Hardesty while @ Tennessee. Anybody who watched Vols offense past season know they went away from ground game & went aerial with down year from OL. He is a physical runner who hits the hole with authority, showcases one-cut ability that fits in ZBS. He runs with good pad level, quick feet & good vision. He has solid hands and body control as a reliable pass catcher. He is also a very good special teams player. The other comparable to Arian is character. Won the Pat Tillman Award at East-West Shrine game which is awarded to the player who best exemplifies character, intelligence, sportsmanship and service. The award recognizes a student-athlete's achievements and conduct, both on and off the field. Sounds like a Texan & Derrick Ward is a free agent.

then you should like 1B (without mario) better? we also expect special teams to be an area of focus for the Texans this off-season.

Click to expand...

keeping Mario or not has nothing to do with what I think of the players (which are different for either) or the positions/rank you have. I like the players and positions better in this one than the other.

Rey- Round 3 became a QB because we decided to put QB in as a need. We all saw the benefit of good, young backups. Leinart is a southpaw, so it makes sense to get rid of him. Lindley has starter potential, but just needs time. He will also push Yates in the future.

Round 5- A strong rushing attack is what the Texans offense is built upon, and since the position is prone to injury, we decided to grab another backup.

If we're going to take an OT late in the draft a guy I'm high on is Jeff Adams from Columbia, He's been a starter at LT his entire collegiate career and according to the coaches from the east west games is very very coachable. Could be a good swing tackle for us, a potential mid level starting LT for someone else (in the future)

Rey- Round 3 became a QB because we decided to put QB in as a need. We all saw the benefit of good, young backups. Leinart is a southpaw, so it makes sense to get rid of him. Lindley has starter potential, but just needs time. He will also push Yates in the future.

Round 5- A strong rushing attack is what the Texans offense is built upon, and since the position is prone to injury, we decided to grab another backup.

Click to expand...

I disagree with the southpaw thing. I think it changes some things, but not a whole, whole lot.

In the third round I'd rather get a guy that has a better chance of contributing this season either on special teams or in a set package.

Yes, we had unfortunate injuries at QB this year, but that is not the norm. We shouldn't plan on it being like that every year. Plus, I like Yates. If we are going to go QB I'd rather go after one of the top tier ones. Make a serious move up for RGIII...Otherwise I'd rather see a guy like Pead in the third that can return kicks and get some snaps as a running back. RB is the roughest position to play. Arian was banged up this year, Tate was out all of last year.

I disagree with the southpaw thing. I think it changes some things, but not a whole, whole lot.

In the third round I'd rather get a guy that has a better chance of contributing this season either on special teams or in a set package.

Yes, we had unfortunate injuries at QB this year, but that is not the norm. We shouldn't plan on it being like that every year. Plus, I like Yates. If we are going to go QB I'd rather go after one of the top tier ones. Make a serious move up for RGIII...Otherwise I'd rather see a guy like Pead in the third that can return kicks and get some snaps as a running back. RB is the roughest position to play. Arian was banged up this year, Tate was out all of last year.

I'd rather invest a third on a RB/returner this year rather than QB.

I'm hoping for Pead all the way in that third round.

JMO....No offense to you guys, I appreciate the time you guys take.

Click to expand...

It changes protection schemes, which side becomes the primary target, rollouts, ball spin (I heard Jerry Rice demanded that the practice QBs be the same handed as the starter), etc. But I do trust that the FO knows best here. And I do respect your opinion immensely.

If you liked Pead, then what was your problem with the 5th rounder? BL sold us on the guy, maybe he can do the same for the board.

I really like this mock - adresses basically every need, gets us one or two immediate starters and some potential later on.

I´m not sure I´d go QB in the 3d. Yeah, Schaub will be a RFA, and yes, TJ is still a project. But really, the only way we should draft a QB high right now is, if we don`t believe in TJ and think this guy could carry the franchise.

At the same time we have other issues (a guard would really help, perhaps a C since Myers will be a FA, how about some safety help? Or some more depth at ILB) that we might adress here and maybe even get another starter out of the 3d round. So as much as I like drafting for the future and for all eventuallities, I`d go full win now mode here - especially if we keep Mario.

As for a QB - wait this season out. Let`s see what Schaubs got left in him and if we want to extend his contract - and let`s see (at least in practice) how TJ ist maturing. If we are not confident in our QB situation then, we might as well go QB in the 1st or 2nd in next years draft.

I'd like to "target" an OG in the 1st or 2nd rounds. I want someone with a good shot at replacing Wade Smith by the end of training camp.

Unless you guys know of a reason for his drop off in play this season.

Click to expand...

In this version we have Levy Adcock a big athletic guy who could start right away over Wade Smith @ LG. He is starting caliber OL material & great value in the 4th rd. Athletic, big, tough, smart can fill multiple positions as needed, saves cap room. This in our opinion would be an excellent pick & future Texan.

It changes protection schemes, which side becomes the primary target, rollouts, ball spin (I heard Jerry Rice demanded that the practice QBs be the same handed as the starter), etc. But I do trust that the FO knows best here. And I do respect your opinion immensely.

If you liked Pead, then what was your problem with the 5th rounder? BL sold us on the guy, maybe he can do the same for the board.

Click to expand...

I don't have a problem with the player really...And honestly it's just me nitpicking...If the draft went down exaclty how this one did I wouldn't complain...Hell, I don't do a lot of complaining about any of the Texans drafts as I am just excited about the new players...

But the QB in the third round is what threw it off for me...

For a rookie thrown into the fire like he was I thought Yates did a pretty good job. He was the Texans first ever play-off QB. He has more play-off experience than any QB we've ever had.

Unless we can get a top tier QB like RGIII somehow I'd like to concentrate on grooming Yates. He's mobile, has a good arm and while he showed some poor decision making as far as his throws go, he was going against some pretty good defenses in the play-offs. The experience he got this year was invaluable. A lot of people don't want to see Yates play next year (and as long as Schaub is healthy I don't either), but I don't dread the prospect of seeing him take snaps...

I'm all for picking up a Case Keenum if he's an UDFA and bringing him in, but I'd rather use that third round pick on a RB/LB or another WR and the same for that fifth round pick.

I don't have a problem with the player really...And honestly it's just me nitpicking...If the draft went down exaclty how this one did I wouldn't complain...Hell, I don't do a lot of complaining about any of the Texans drafts as I am just excited about the new players...

But the QB in the third round is what threw it off for me...

For a rookie thrown into the fire like he was I thought Yates did a pretty good job. He was the Texans first ever play-off QB. He has more play-off experience than any QB we've ever had.

Unless we can get a top tier QB like RGIII somehow I'd like to concentrate on grooming Yates. He's mobile, has a good arm and while he showed some poor decision making as far as his throws go, he was going against some pretty good defenses in the play-offs. The experience he got this year was invaluable. A lot of people don't want to see Yates play next year (and as long as Schaub is healthy I don't either), but I don't dread the prospect of seeing him take snaps...

I'm all for picking up a Case Keenum if he's an UDFA and bringing him in, but I'd rather use that third round pick on a RB/LB or another WR and the same for that fifth round pick.

Click to expand...

Yates was prone to making mistakes in College. I'm on record, when Texans made the pick I didn't like it. Said similar thing as you, that if they felt QB was a need they should have taken a top tier prospect earlier in the draft. But Kubiak proved he can develop a young QB with some ability & overcome less desirable tendencies with good mechanics, this is key to pick. So why not clean out the bullpen (Leinart, Delhomme, Garcia) with a solid, talented & young QB trio, while saving cap room? This theme is carried foward in both mock 1A & 1B. Let's take advantage of Coach Kubiak's strength, QB development & settle QB position next 10 years. The final draft grade for Lindley is yet to be established but should come in at least on par with that of current starting Texan QB Matt Schaub drafted out of Virginia 3rd rd. 2004. Lindley is legitimate starter material to develop & eventually replace Schaub. It's a bold stroke but if you look at the numbers & play to the strength of this organization it makes a lot of sense. Ryan Lindley's numbers smash those of Schaub in College, he has a strong arm, is athletic (also baseball player) threw for 12,700 yards & 90 TD's.

Yates was prone to making mistakes in College. I'm on record, when Texans made the pick I didn't like it. Said similar thing as you, that if they felt QB was a need they should have taken a top tier prospect earlier in the draft. But Kubiak proved he can develop a young QB with some ability & overcome less desirable tendencies with good mechanics, this is key to pick. So why not clean out the bullpen (Leinart, Delhomme, Garcia) with a solid, talented & young QB trio, while saving cap room? This theme is carried foward in both mock 1A & 1B. Let's take advantage of Coach Kubiak's strength, QB development & settle QB position next 10 years. The final draft grade for Lindley is yet to be established but should come in at least on par with that of current starting Texan QB Matt Schaub drafted out of Virginia 3rd rd. 2004. Lindley is legitimate starter material to develop & eventually replace Schaub. It's a bold stroke but if you look at the numbers & play to the strength of this organization it makes a lot of sense. Ryan Lindley's numbers smash those of Schaub in College, he has a strong arm, is athletic (also baseball player) threw for 12,700 yards & 90 TD's.

Click to expand...

The problem is: a good QB coach can only do so much. Sure he had success to turn a borderline starter into a starter - and sure he got a young QB ready to play. But: he can`t make a good QB an elite QB. For that the QB just needs the talent. Yeah, you can get lucky and find a guy like that in the 3d round or even later - but more often than not you are lucky if you find a borderline starter here.

So either get him a prospect at QB with a huge upside, or go another direction. We don`t need any more middle of the pack QBs - yeah, we can trade them at some time and get something nice back - but to make this team better right now, just draft someone to fill one of our holes (and there are still many of those). Because right now we are set at QB1 and QB2 - and the QB3 never plays anyways, right

I of course like the 1st rounder you guys suggested... 2nd rounder I'm okay with...

I really like where you're going with the 3rd round pick... I've never seen any video or anything on the kid, but i understand the value you're shooting for... So my question is: what other QBs may be available come the Texans 3rd rd pick that you think hold good value for that pick? I'd like to look at all of them...

Yates was prone to making mistakes in College. I'm on record, when Texans made the pick I didn't like it. Said similar thing as you, that if they felt QB was a need they should have taken a top tier prospect earlier in the draft. But Kubiak proved he can develop a young QB with some ability & overcome less desirable tendencies with good mechanics, this is key to pick. So why not clean out the bullpen (Leinart, Delhomme, Garcia) with a solid, talented & young QB trio, while saving cap room? This theme is carried foward in both mock 1A & 1B. Let's take advantage of Coach Kubiak's strength, QB development & settle QB position next 10 years. The final draft grade for Lindley is yet to be established but should come in at least on par with that of current starting Texan QB Matt Schaub drafted out of Virginia 3rd rd. 2004. Lindley is legitimate starter material to develop & eventually replace Schaub. It's a bold stroke but if you look at the numbers & play to the strength of this organization it makes a lot of sense. Ryan Lindley's numbers smash those of Schaub in College, he has a strong arm, is athletic (also baseball player) threw for 12,700 yards & 90 TD's.

Click to expand...

I hear you BL, but I can't get past the fact that we'd essentially be spending a third round pick on a third string QB.

I hear you BL, but I can't get past the fact that we'd essentially be spending a third round pick on a third string QB.

Click to expand...

Strange, isn't it? Took me a minute to like the idea...

I like the idea of more ILB depth in the 3rd, heck maybe even 2nd (if Mario is gone, OLB depth un 3rd)...but having two very young QBs with promise learning, maturing and competing for the starting job in the future is very tempting to me...